Holiday Inn Paris Gare de Lyon Bastille

With its ornate green and gold portico, carved stonework facade, and wrought-iron window ornaments, this Holiday Inn impresses from the outset. In fact, forget everything you associate with a Holiday Inn. This Bastille-district outpost of the international chain has does a tremendous job of shedding its corporate identity. Inside the Belle Epoque building -- constructed in 1913 as the Hotel Paris - Lyon Palace -- interiors are a blend of contemporary decor and original details, such as molded cornices, high ceilings, elegant arches, and antiqued mirrors. Hotel branding is uncharacteristically discreet, and it's easy to forget this is part of a chain not generally known for subtle and sympathetic refits of historic buildings. (The hotel became a Holiday Inn in 1996 and wrapped up a renovation of its 128 guest rooms in 2018. Even the hallways got the full renovation treatment, with one wall covered in a beautiful emerald jute patchwork design by Belgian house Arte.) The overall ambiance is chic, modern and friendly to both business and leisure travelers, including families. 

In general, the hotel is occupied with mostly business travelers during the week, and tourists on weekends and during holidays. This Holiday Inn's many bright and well-equipped meeting rooms -- including its main one, the former dining hall of the original hotel, where Josephine Baker used to sing -- make it a popular place for conferences and seminars, while its connecting rooms and one-bedroom suites make it a good pick for families. The hotel is also a great choice for travelers with mobility issues, as its entrance, lobby, and ground-floor bar and breakfast room are accessible to wheelchairs (many hotel breakfast rooms are located down a spiral staircase in a stone cellar), four guest rooms are handicap-accessible, and there are two elevators, one historic, one modern and well-sized. Holiday Inn Paris Gare de Lyon Bastille's proximity to the Gare de Lyon train terminal is extremely convenient for getting in/out of and around Paris. The train's station famous clock is visible from parts of the hotel.

The hotel's position near the Gare de Lyon train terminal means easy access to the rest of Paris -- it's just a few metro stops to the city center -- and beyond (the RER connects directly to Disneyland Paris from here). While the immediate surrounds can feel a little seedy (there's a sex shop right next door), the neighboring Bastille district is filled with cafes, bars, and restaurants. The Austerlitz Bridge over the River Seine is also just a couple blocks away -- it's then about a 25-minute stroll to the Notre Dame Cathedral. The hotel is also within walking distance of Opera Bastille (eight minutes), the National Museum of Natural History and the surrounding Jardin des Plantes (12 minutes), and AccorHotels Arena (15 minutes). The hotel is a short walk to one of the entrances of Coulee Verte Rene-Dumont, a former railway that has been transformed into an elevated promenade (and the inspiration for the world-famous High Line in New York City).

Of Holiday Inn's 128 rooms, four units are Suites, 26 are Executives, and all others are Standards. Fresh from a 2018 renovation, rooms and suites are decorated in a smart, sleek style that feels contemporary but also cozy. All have warm wood panels behind the beds with built-in shelving, outlets, and USB ports. Attractive red-marble work desks add a dose of rich color to the otherwise subdued color schemes. Standard Rooms have kettles and free Nespresso instant coffee and tea; Executive Rooms and Suites have Nespresso machines. The hotel currently use paper cups but plans to switch to ceramic. All rooms have individual climate control, minibars, wireless charging pads (compatible with iPhone X), and flat-screen HDTVs with cable channels in many languages, including English, Dutch, German, Arabic, and Chinese. Double-glazed windows are hung with thick velvet black-out curtains.

Mirrored French doors open to the Italian-marble bathrooms, which are a highlight of the rooms. Italian circular mirrors with built-in lights along the outer edge; the entire mirror spins so that guests can find the perfect height for the embedded magnifying mirror. Transom windows let in natural light and speakers allow guests to hear audio from the TVs. Bathrooms have heated towel racks, hairdryers, and, in the Executives and Suites, Institut Karite toiletries. About 20 percent of the rooms have shower/tub combos, others have walk-in rainfall showers. Suites have over-sized Duravit soaking tubs and separate walk-in rainfall showers, as well as TVs built in behind the mirror.

The four Suites measure 430 square feet, and have fully enclosed bedrooms and living rooms separated by large bathrooms. Living rooms have sofa beds that can sleep two, as well as their own flat-screen TVs (there are three total TVs in the Suites). Note that rooms on the first through fifth floors have higher ceilings than those on the sixth and seventh floors, on account of the building's sloping roof. Connecting and wheelchair-accessible rooms are available. Wi-Fi is free in all rooms and paid fiber upgrades are available. Cots are available for free and extra beds are available for free for children under 12.

Unlike most Paris hotels with cramped breakfast rooms in the basement, Holiday Inn Paris Gare de Lyon Bastille's breakfast room is spacious and street-level. The hot and cold buffet breakfast includes scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, stewed tomatoes and mushrooms, waffles, deli meats, cheeses, yogurt, and a variety of cereal and bread. Seating is plentiful and the space is lit up by the large, arched windows facing Rue de Lyon. Breakfast can be ordered to the room, and room service is available for lunch and dinner, as well. The room service menu features mostly traditional French fare, such as duck rillettes and beef stew, and kids' items and a wine list are also available. Like other IHG properties, kids under 13 eat free and those under 18 stay free with their parents or guardians. Adjacent to the breakfast room is Le Canasta, Holiday Inn's bar and lounge, which opens in the mid-afternoon and stays open until midnight.

The hotel dedicated 4,500 square feet to AV-equipped meeting rooms for anything from training seminars to cocktail receptions. All have individual climate control, as well as espresso machines, Dammann Freres teas, and mini-fridges with juice and water. Full catering is available. Two computers and a printer are available for guest use towards the back of the lobby. Pets are allowed for a nightly fee and Wi-Fi is free throughout the hotel. Laundry and dry-cleaning are available for a fee, and ironing equipment is available at reception. Babysitting can be arranged for a fee and with 24 hours' notice. There are several public parking lots near the hotel.